Sustainable Living at the UW: Simple Changes You Can Make
September 6, 2022 by Paige Stanley
As a part of one of the most sustainable campuses in the country, HFS strives to meet and exceed sustainability standards in our services. Through renewable energy, compostable materials, waste reduction, eco thermostats, LEED certifications, local food and more, HFS is reducing our carbon footprint and making a difference. To learn more about sustainable practices in our residence halls and dining locations, check out these YouTube videos!
Are you interested in making an impact on campus sustainability? Join Students Expressing Environmental Dedication (SEED) to work with residents and HFS staff to bring awareness to sustainability issues that impact our campus.
In the meantime, add these habits to your daily routine to reduce your carbon footprint and live more sustainably!
1. Switch Off Power Strips
Most surge protectors and power strips have on/off buttons. When you are not in your room or not using your cord-powered items, turn off your power strip to conserve electricity.
2. Sort Your Trash
There are places to sort your trash into garbage, compost and recycling throughout campus. Do your part by sorting your trash to reduce the amount of waste that ends up in landfills. Make sure to separate your recycling and garbage in your room as well and sort them into the correct trash collection site.
3. Turn Off the Water
When you are brushing your teeth, washing your face or shaving, turn off the faucet to conserve water. You can also reduce the length of your showers.
4. Use Reusable Food Containers
Getting your food to go? Use a reusable container! UW Dining partners with OZZI, a company specializing in reusable container systems, to provide reusable containers to residents. When you move in, you will receive an OZZI token that you can exchange for an OZZI container when you get food to go at the dining halls. When you return your container, you will receive a new token to be used the next time you get a take-out meal. While all of UW’s take-out containers are compostable, OZZI reduces the number of compost containers that end up in the garbage. In addition to using your OZZI container, customers can get 25 cents off their drinks at campus cafés if they use a reusable mug!
5. Turn Off Lights
When you leave your room, make sure to turn off all overhead lights and lamps to conserve energy!
6. Take the Stairs
To conserve electricity and get some exercise, take the stairs to and from your room if you are able.
7. Use Green Cleaning Products
HFS custodial staff use green cleaning products and so can you! The District Market offers plenty of natural cleaning products that you can use to keep your space fresh.
8. Walk, Bike or Take Transit
With the light rail and Metro bus system, there are plenty of options to get around Seattle without driving. Not only is transit better for the environment, but it often saves time and money, especially in Seattle traffic. If you want some exercise, choose to bike or walk instead. There are plenty of bike lanes and trails to help you get around campus and the surrounding areas.
9. Donate Leftover Nonperishable Food to the UW Food Pantry
The UW Food Pantry provides essential items like shelf-stable food and hygiene products for free to members of the UW community who are experiencing food insecurity. If you have unopened nonperishable items that you are not going to eat, donate them to the UW Food Pantry instead of throwing them away.
10. Volunteer at the UW Farm
The UW Farm provides fresh-grown produce to many UW Dining locations and has its very own Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) program. The farm welcomes volunteers to help with various tasks that help keep the farm clean and bountiful. Sign up to volunteer on the UW Farm website!
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